Online shopping certainly has taken a noticeable toll on traditional brick and mortar stores, but there likely will always be a public appetite for in-person shopping. You simply can’t replace the real thing. Scoring slick deals on the internet is always nice, but there’s just something so natural about seeing a product with your own two eyes before making a purchase.
For the die-hard shopper looking to indulge in a little ‘retail therapy’, there’s nothing quite as nice as spending the day at the mall. That being said, there is no denying the fact that malls have experienced a decline in popularity over the years. In cities all across the world, countless empty husks of what were once bustling shrines to capitalism remain vacant.
The shopping malls that have managed to resist the so-called ‘retail apocalypse’ have resorted to novel means to draw in crowds. From theme parks to skating rinks, award-winning fine dining restaurants, bowling alleys, and water slides, modern malls – hoping to make a name for themselves – have done just about everything imaginable to keep guests coming through their doors and spending their hard-earned money. There’s so much to see and do at the mall these days. An outing out to the mall is an experience in itself.
Join Viewcation as we take a look at some of the most amazing shopping malls from around the world. The shopping centers were about to discuss often provide over-the-top amenities, while others are architecturally unique in ways that will blow your mind.
The Mall of America – Bloomington, Minnesota
This iconic Minnesota shopping utopia has 4.2 million square feet of retail space and houses more than 520 stores in addition to a movie theater, aquarium, mini-golf course, comedy club, theme park, and even a wedding chapel!
The mall was built on the site where the famous Metropolitan Stadium once stood. Since opening in 1992, the Mall of America has been one of the most visited tourist destinations in the United States.
Every year, the mall hosts more than 400 events ranging from concerts to celebrity appearances and fashion shows.
While the pandemic temporarily resulted in a decline in the number of the mall’s visitors, it’s since recovered from that dip and is thriving once again.
The Forum Shops – Las Vegas, Nevada
Smack dab in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, next door to Caesar’s Palace, is this shopping mecca. It’s been dubbed the ‘The Shopping Wonder of the World’, with it’s distinct interior that clearly draws heavy inspiration from ancient Rome.
There are 160 specialty stores, an enormous 50,000-gallon aquarium, animatronic statues, and several world-famous restaurants that call The Forum their home.
Istanbul Cevahir Shopping and Entertainment Centre – Istanbul, Turkey
This massive mall opened on the 15th of October, 2005. At the time of it’s opening, it was the largest shopping mall in Europe in terms of gross leasable space. Even today, it remains one of the largest malls in the world.
The mall features an enormous glass roof and boasts having one of the largest clocks in the world. In addition to housing a wide variety of retail stores and eateries, the mall has 12 cinemas, a large stage for shows and events, a steel roller coaster, a bowling alley, and plenty of other entertainment options to keep guests occupied when they need a break from eating and shopping.
Siam Paragon – Bangkok, Thailand
Inside the walls of this mind-bogglingly large shopping mega-complex you’ll find an opera hall, luxury hotel, bowling hall, art gallery, and movie theater. It’s crown jewel, however, is the Siam Ocean World Aquarium!
The mall, of course, also houses an array of restaurants, boutiques, salons, and stores. In fact, it’s considered to be one of the largest malls in all of Asia. Since opening in 2005, the Siam Paragon has become one of the most visited tourists destinations in the world.
West Edmonton Mall – Alberta, Canada
This mall is one of the largest of it’s kind in North America. It houses more than 800 retail stores, restaurants, and other services. It’s famous for featuring attractions like an amusement park dubbed Galaxyland, an ice palace, a mini-golf course, and even a waterpark! The West Edmonton Mall boasts having two hotels on it’s grounds along with over 100 dining options.
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Berjaya Times Square – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
With over 7.5 million square feet of floor space, Berjaya Times Square is notable for being the fifth-largest building in the entire world. There are more than 1,000 shops, 65 restaurants, and a wide array of entertainment attractions that await you at this monstrosity of a retail hub. Some of the mall’s most popular attractions include it’s indoor theme park Cosmo’s World, and the country of Malaysia’s first IMAX movie theater.
The Dubai Mall – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
If you thought Berjaya Times Square was impressive, then wait until you see this awe-inspiring marvel of modern engineering. The Dubai Mall is, in fact, the largest mall on the planet, containing more than 1,200 stores, over a hundred restaurants, and countless entertainment options.
A few of the most noteworthy attractions include the mall’s indoor theme park, it’s children’s entertainment center, a massive movie theater, and the award-winning Dubai Aquarium and Discovery Center.
The Galleria – Houston, Texas
The Galleria is one of the Lonestar state’s most popular attractions – attracting more than 24 million visitors annually. This 2.4 million square feet shopping complex houses more than 400 stores, restaurants, and galleries. It also has two high-rise hotels.
Some of it’s other notable draws include it’s full-sized ice rink, two swimming pools, and children’s play area.
Ala Moana – Honolulu, Hawaii
The Aloha State is home to one of the world’s biggest open-air shopping malls. Visitors can indulge in culinary delights while sampling the local flavors at any of the mall’s many restaurants and cafes. Every week a farmer’s market is held, and a daily hula show remains one of the most popular daily events held here.
With one of the largest food courts in the world as well as four major department stores and over 350 retail shops, this mall is definitely a destination well-worth visiting if you’re ever in sunny Hawaii.
The Venetian Grand Canal Shoppes – Las Vegas, Nevada
It makes sense that a place like Las Vegas would have several of the world’s most incredible shopping malls. This iconic one features a replica of St. Mark’s square, replete with canals and gondolas. Located just adjacent to the ever-popular Venetian Hotel and Casino as well as the Palazzo, this mall offers guests a much-needed break from the flashing lights and high-stakes bets of the gambling halls that Vegas is most famous for.
You and your significant other can enjoy a romantic ride on a gondola or peruse the many shops and galleries. If you need to give your feet a break, take a load off at a bench and enjoy a performance by one of the mall’s many ‘street performers’.
Galleries Lafayette – Paris, France
Ever since opening it’s doors in 1912, this historic mall located on Boulevard Haussman has been a must-see venue for tourists who find themselves in France’s capital city. Three buildings combine to form one of the most extravagant shopping centers in the world. Here you’ll find shops dishing out luxury goods and high-end fashion.
The mall has a beautiful dome and offers a panoramic view of Paris. A fashion show is also hosted at the mall, drawing in large crowds every week.
SM Mall of Asia – Manila, Philippines
This mall is so huge that it has it’s very own tram to shuttle shoppers around it’s four buildings. It also houses an IMAX theater with one of the largest 3D screens in the world. Over 200,000 visitors pass through this mall every day but don’t worry about feeling claustrophobic, as the facility has over 1.3 million feet of floor space. Impressively, the SM Mall of Asia also features an Olympic-sized ice skating rink open year-round.
Morocco Mall – Casablanca, Morocco
With close to 700,000 square feet of floor space, the Morocco Mall in Casablanca is one of the largest shopping complexes in Morocco. The mall houses an aquarium with more than 40 species of fish. Visitors can even go scuba diving with them if they’re feeling up to it and don’t mind shelling out a bit of money.
King of Prussia Mall – King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
This mall opened in 1963. It has since grown into being one of the largest malls in the United States. With more than 3,000,000 square feet of floor space, this gigantic mall attracts over 22 million visitors annually. It features big-name retail outlets like Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and several other luxury retailers.
New South China Mall – Dongguan, China
This world-famous mall is also one of Earth’s largest. Unfortunately, it’s historically been also one of the emptiest. For the first ten years that it was open, only about 1% of it’s space was used by retailers. This primarily was because it was placed in a somewhat hard-to-reach location outside of Beijing.
Nowadays, however, the mall is a lot livelier. It has an IMAX cinema, theme park, and hundreds of retail stores. The mall is also broken up into seven zones modeled after famous cities from around the world.
So, what do you think? Which one of these shopping malls would you most like to see in person? And what do you think the future has in store for the mall? Is e-commerce really going to spell the end for the traditional shopping mall or do you think that shopaholic consumers will always want to have a physical store to go to? Let us know in the comments.
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